He was seen as a youthful star until he lost his seat of Shipley to the Tories at the last general election. The 35-year-old was appointed as director of the New Local Government Network - a Blairite thinktank - but has made little secret of his desire to return to parliament. According to his statement last night, he did not know of David Abrahams until the businessman rang him in May, suggesting he contact Janet Kidd who wanted to donate to Brown's campaign. He rang Kidd, who then sent an "unprompted" donation for £5,000. Leslie said he checked that she was a permissible donor but tore up the cheque because no one in the campaign knew her. He insisted he did not know of Abrahams's donations to Labour or his use of Kidd and others as proxies for these gifts.

Jon Mendelsohn Brown's chief fundraiser

Learned of the secret donations from Abrahams after taking over as general election fundraiser in early September, when he began enquiring about donors whose names he did not recognise - such as Kidd and Raymond Ruddick, another proxy for Abrahams. He said he was unhappy with the arrangement despite accepting Watt's insistence that the system was lawful. He said in a statement he chose not to tell the leadership, but decided to tell Abrahams that it was unacceptable. Questions have been raised about the warm letter he sent to the businessman last week. He has insisted he wanted to tell Abrahams that his method of contribution was unacceptable. He said the businessman had declined a previous request for a meeting, probably because of their "personal history of disagreements".

Jack Dromey Labour treasurer

Harriet Harman's husband is in the firing line again. He insists he knew nothing of the Abrahams deal, just as he was ignorant of the loans given by millionaires later nominated for honours under Tony Blair that sparked the cash-for-honours inquiry. Dromey exploded during a private meeting of Labour officials on Wednesday amid suspicion that he is being set up.

Lady Gale, the treasurer of Harman's campaign, said at the end of her statement last night: "The Harriet Harman for deputy campaign was not put in touch with Janet Kidd by Jack Dromey." That was seen as a pointed disclaimer of Dromey's role. His public and personal lives continue to collide.

Peter Watt Former general secretary of the Labour party

His resignation on Monday spelt disaster for the government. Labour's top official had originally been put in charge of the Abrahams inquiry. But 48 hours later he admitted knowing of Abrahams's middlemen arrangement but said he thought it was legal. Others are sceptical that a former compliance officer of the Labour party could be so ignorant of the rules of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendum Act that was passed in 2000 by a Labour government to clean up politics. Labour's national executive committee said Watt kept them in the dark. But Brown's chief fundraiser, Jon Mendelsohn admitted knowing about the arrangement with Abrahams for two months before it was made public. Who else was told?

Lady Jay Former leader of the Lords

Supporter of Hilary Benn, who contested Labour's deputy leadership, ultimately won by Harriet Harman. She is daughter of former Labour prime minister James Callaghan. Jay told Benn that David Abrahams, whom she had met at events for Labour's "£1,000 club" of donors, wanted to make a donation to him, but without publicity. She suspected that was because Abrahams wanted to make donations to other deputy leadership campaigns.

Benn refused to take a donation in this form and Abrahams subsequently decided to give money in his own name to Benn. Jay has said she had no knowledge of Abrahams's big-money donations to the Labour party but has yet to give a full version of her contact with him. It is still unclear whether she had any contact with the Harman camp.